The Delhi High Court on Friday granted interim relief to former Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s son Karti Chidambaram in the INX Media case. The court asked the Enforcement Directorate not to arrest Karti Chidambaram till March 20 when it will take up the matter again.
The High Court also issued notices to the Enforcement Directorate and the Centre on Karti’s plea. Karti Chidambaram had claimed that the agency did not have the jurisdiction to issue notices based on a First Information Report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
On Thursday, the Supreme Court had asked him to approach the Delhi High Court for relief in the money laundering case. The top court had rejected Karti Chidambaram’s writ petition challenging the Enforcement Directorate’s summons. The court had said it may hamper the trial.
Earlier on Friday, the Central Bureau of Investigation sought custody of Chidambaram for six more days in the INX Media case, PTI reported. On March 6, a CBI court had extended his custody by three days, which ends on Friday.
On Wednesday, the CBI had moved a Delhi court seeking a narco-analysis test on Karti Chidambaram. The matter, along with his bail plea, is also likely to be heard on Friday.
Meanwhile, a Delhi court extended the judicial custody of Karti Chidambaram’s chartered accountant, S Bhaskararaman, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the case, till March 22.
In May 2017, the ED had filed a money laundering case against Karti Chidambaram, INX Media and its directors, including Indrani Mukerjea and Peter Mukerjea. The two are currently in jail for the murder of Sheena Bora, Indrani Mukerjea’s daughter. Chidambaram’s company allegedly received Rs 10 lakh from INX Media – which had received clearance from the Foreign Exchange Promotion Board for Rs 4 crore in foreign funding, when in fact it had got Rs 305 crore in 2007. P Chidambaram was the finance minister in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at that time.
The money was paid to Karti Chidambaram in return for help to get away without facing any punitive action, the Enforcement Directorate had told the court. Karti Chidambaram has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing in the INX Media case.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!